


Here is the Place Where I Love You

by DetLandro



Category: Brooklyn Nine-Nine (TV)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Hunger Games Setting, Angst, F/M, Hunger Games, I will not spoil my own work, Jake Peralta Loves Amy Santiago, No spoilers in the tags, Protective Jake Peralta, Teenagers, You hear me?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-22
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:09:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25432150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DetLandro/pseuds/DetLandro
Summary: Amy is chosen for the 99th Annual Hunger Games.  As if that wasn't bad enough, she has to go into the arena beside someone she can't see herself living without.  She knows she can make it out alive, but does she even want to if it means she has to make it out alone?
Relationships: Jake Peralta & Amy Santiago, Jake Peralta/Amy Santiago
Comments: 11
Kudos: 56





	1. The Reaping

**Author's Note:**

> What's up? Welcome to my Peraltiago Hunger Games fanfic that exactly zero people wanted. Most of the main cast will make appearances and probably a couple side characters. I have the whole plot planned out, and the first five chapters outlined, so I'm hoping I'll be able to update at a decent speed but if I don't just bear with me. The second chapter is already like half done, so. I would guess it'll finish at around a dozen chapters or so but I could easily be wrong. Title for the Work is from the Hunger Games.

Amy opened her eyes. The morning light was just beginning to make its way through the window beside her bed, and she let out a quiet yawn as she sat up and stretched. Glancing behind her, she noted that Luis was still entrenched in what looked like a rather peaceful sleep.

_Lucky bastard._

The sleep had been restless for Amy, but not dreamless. She always had nightmares the night before the Reaping. She liked to pretend it didn’t terrify her, but of course it did. It terrified everyone, that was kind of the point. If the Hunger Games weren’t so cruel she would consider them kind of genius. It terrified you as a kid in the days before you could be called, it terrified you as a teen when your name was in the tribute pool, and it terrified you as a parent when your child could be the next to be chosen and killed. The nightmare never ended, and the nightmare was effective.

She stood up and left the bedroom that she and Luis shared, heading for the kitchen table. Her mother was already sitting at the table, nursing a cup in front of her. Amy grabbed an apple and sat next to her mother, placing a hand on one of Camila’s and offering her a weak smile. Her mother smiled back in a way that didn’t reach her eyes and Amy could see the same exhaustion she felt. She knew they were both thinking the same thing:

_One more._

Amy and Luis were both eighteen, and the youngest of the Santiago children. If they could make it through today, they would never have to face the Reaping again, and Camila would never have to face the thought of her child in the arena. Amy finished her apple and grabbed a book from their small bookshelf before sitting down to read. After a while, Amy’s father appeared and gave Amy a hug before giving Camila a kiss on the cheek. He glanced at the clock.

“Where’s your brother?”

“Still sleeping.”

Victor huffed a bit, “He should be up, it won’t be long before we have to get going, and we have to get ready.”

Amy nodded and went to wake Luis. She knew they didn’t actually have much to do beforehand, but her father just wanted to feel like he was doing _something._ That was what she hated most, the dread of anticipation. In the days and weeks leading up to the Reaping the world just seemed to get so quiet. It was like a tidal wave was visible just off the shore, and all anyone could seem to do was stop and watch as it came to crush them. People smiled less, they spoke less, and they _did_ less.

Luis was no exception this morning, dragging himself silently out of their room and eating a small breakfast with only a word or two to their parents. The four of them were the only ones left in the house, with all her older brothers having moved out, a couple with spouses of their own. Everyone had come over for dinner the night before, however. It was a tradition that had started back when David had first moved out, and had continued as the numbers in the house dwindled. Amy went to pick up her book again, but couldn’t get her mind to focus on the words in front of her.

A walk. A walk would be nice.

//

She left after a quick goodbye to her parents, promising that she’d be back in time to get ready, and shut the door behind her. She strode quickly down the street, a crisp breeze blowing through her hair as she walked. In the first couple of years she had had panic attacks the morning of, but that hadn’t happened since she was fifteen. She walked in the opposite direction of the square, where she knew the Peacekeepers would be setting up the stage and the roped off areas for everyone to stand. She found herself passing a small cemetery when she heard someone call out.

“Santiago!”

She picked her head up from where it was stuck staring at her shoes and spotted Jake sitting in a tree next to the street. He smiled widely at her and jumped down, causing Amy to wince as he hit the ground from a height that she was _sure_ could cause him to roll his ankle badly. She nodded at him as he jogged up to her, apparently with unrolled ankles.

“Peralta.”

Jake grinned as he caught up to her. “Happy Hunger Games!” he said with as much fake bravado as he could muster, even throwing a little bow in the mix. Amy felt herself smile despite herself.

“I don’t know how you can joke about it, aren’t you scared?”

He shrugged, “Well yeah of course, but it’s our last year. After today we’ll be able to breath again.” She sighed at his words, wishing she could be more like him, always focusing on the good things that could happen, instead of the bad. He spoke again.

“Do you mind if I join you?”

She smiled at him, and nodded and he fell in step as they started up again side by side. Amy turned to face him.

“What are you doing out? I figured you’d sleep all morning then show up a minute before they drew the first name?”

Jake gave a small smile but it faded and he gestured behind them at the cemetery, “Just visiting mom.”

Amy nodded and pulled Jake’s hand into her own as they kept walking. He met her eyes and they showed gratefulness at the reassuring contact before he looked back at the ground. Jake’s mom had gotten very sick six months ago and she had died not long after, just a few weeks after Jake had turned eighteen, leaving Jake on his own. For a while he had shut himself down, much like he did after his dad left when he was a kid, but this time there was nobody left to pick him back up.

Amy had missed him then. She had still seen him occasionally but his smile had left along with his mother. Now he was back to joking around more, but Amy could tell that he still wasn’t all the way healed. His hair was often longer and wilder than he usually kept it, and there were times when his eyes didn’t quite match the beaming grin he would flash.

“I wanted to come see her, because if I _do_ get picked, it’s not like they’ll let me come here to say goodbye,” he said quietly. She squeezed his hand and they walked in silence for a while, both of them lost in their own thoughts. They talked a bit more before Amy suggested it was time for her to head back home. They paused when they got to her door, and Jake looked at her, opening and closing his mouth a few times before he finally spoke up.

“Well...I guess I’ll see you later.”

She softly smiled at him, “See you later, Jake.”

//

When it was time, she walked with her family to the town square. Arriving at the square, Amy turned to give a quick smile to her parents and Luis before heading off into the section for the other eighteen year old girls. She quickly fell in line surrounded by girls she had grown up with, had gone to school with, and had faced this horrifying day year after year with. A glance over at the boys’ side found Jake looking across at her. When their gazes met he crossed his eyes and stuck his tongue out at her, and she couldn’t help but let out a nervous giggle. Amy turned and craned her neck to try and spot her parents or her older brothers in the back behind all the children but couldn’t find them. The clock struck two.

A woman with elaborate red hair and an even more elaborate outfit walked out from the justice building. This was Gina Linetti, the Capitol representative assigned to District 9. Gina walked with purpose and stood arms raised at the edge of the stage behind a microphone. Two large glass bowls were at each of her sides, containing hundreds of slips of paper with hundreds of names.

“Welcome District 9! And happy 99th Hunger Games!”

If she was looking for applause, she didn’t get it, but she either didn’t expect it or didn’t care to wait long enough for it. She turned and gestured to the doors behind her.

“And now, may I present to you, your only surviving victor, Raymond Holt!”

A man that Amy had seen but never met walked calmly out of the doors behind Gina. He was tall and stoic, and his face never wavered. There was no waving at the crowd or smiles for the cameras that were recording the event for the citizens of the Capitol. He walked briefly to the edge of the stage, nodded curtly at Gina then turned and took his place behind her.

District 9 had only ever had three victors, all male, and two of which were dead now. Amy couldn’t remember exactly which year Holt had won, but it was long enough ago for him to be older than both of her parents. She had only seen him a few times in person other than the Reapings, but she knew that this blank and serious expression wasn’t _only_ brought out for the Games. She swallowed as she wondered what it would be like, to not only have to fight and kill as a teenager, but to then have to mentor two new tributes each year, all of which had ended up dead.

She supposed she would be pretty stoic too.

Gina finished lightly applauding for Holt before turning back to the microphone. “The time has come once again to see who will have the _honor_ to participate in the 99th annual Hunger Games!” she practically sang into the microphone, again being met by quiet.

She cleared her throat, “Ladies first.”

Gina strutted over to the bowl on her left, peering inside and shuffling a few of the slips around before selecting one and bouncing back over to centerstage. Amy held her breath and Gina opened the paper.

“Amy Santiago.”

The breath wouldn’t come out. Amy had forgotten how to let it out. It almost didn’t feel real, like she had been worrying so much about it that the fact that she was chosen couldn’t possibly _actually_ happen.

But it had.

Amy meant to look around, to look for her family or for someone to keep her head from spinning but her eyes felt locked on the ground at her feet. Without even realizing, she started walking towards the aisle in the middle and up towards the stage, her footsteps crunching gravel the only sound in the square.

She had always hated the silence that followed a name being chosen. Ninety nine years and still nobody could figure out the proper sound to make when a child is selected to die. Isn’t that funny?

Her feet felt heavy as she ascended the stairs where Gina grabbed her by the shoulders and smiled at her, placing Amy next to the bowl that had previously held her name. She looked out at the crowd now, searching for her parents in the back but not finding them, tears coming to her eyes but being held in by sheer force of will. Her ears managed to pick up Gina’s voice saying something about the boys but Amy couldn’t hear it. Her entire body felt clogged, not allowing her to comprehend anyth--

“Luis Santiago.”

Amy’s head snapped towards Gina, her mouth falling open and a small sound escaping her lips. Gina’s excited persona seemed to have faltered, as she was staring at the piece of paper in her hands with what looked like confusion.

“Well that must...that must be a brother. I don’t believe that’s ever happened before.”

If it was quiet before, this was how it must have sounded in space. A vacuum had swallowed all noise from the square and taken all the coherent thoughts from Amy as well. No birds chirped, no wind gusted, and nobody moved as Luis Santiago entered the aisle and began to make the walk to stand next to Amy.

He never made it.

Because when he was halfway there a sound entered the vacuum, a yell set with an emotion Amy couldn’t quite decipher, but said by a voice she could place anywhere:

“Wait! I volunteer!”

Everyone’s gaze, including Amy’s, broke from Luis as Jake Peralta emerged from the back of the crowd of teenagers. He looked up at the stage, at Amy.

“I volunteer as tribute.”


	2. Goodbyes and Hellos

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops. Teehee. Claimed I would update reglaurly and here I am like three months later. Lol.

_What?_

Amy’s mind sputtered into a free fall and her mouth hung slightly agape, her eyes stuck on Jake as he walked up the aisle. He put a hand on the shoulder of Luis, who was still frozen in place as Jake walked toward him. With a small smile, Jake pushed him back into the crowd of boys and turned back towards the front. Amy saw him take a deep inhale and continue walking, his trademark grin nowhere to be found.

Gina found her voice again, which had been lost since reading Luis’ name.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a volunteer!” As Jake climbed the steps, Gina rushed over and pulled him towards the microphone, beckoning him to face the crowd, “And what is your name, young man?”

“Jake Peralta.”

“Well Jake, we’re excited to have you _volunteer_ for the games this year! Aren’t we District 9?!”

District 9 remained as silent as it had been the entire reaping, and the quiet was broken only when Jake leaned back into the microphone with a smirk on his face,

“Geez, tough crowd.”

Only Gina laughed, and moved to bring Amy up as well.

“Let’s have a hand for our two tributes from District 9! Amy Santiago and Jake Peralta!” This time, light applause rippled through the crowd, and Amy noted that behind them, Holt had his arms crossed, nodding at the pair. Gina continued, “Shake hands my babies! Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor.”

Amy turned and fully faced Jake. He was smiling at her, reaching out for her hand. She shook it, searching his face for an explanation. All she could see were his eyes; his smile didn’t reach them.

//

Jake and Amy were ushered away into separate rooms in the Justice Building, and Amy stewed as she waited for her visitors. Her mind was finally allowed to go over the events that had just transpired. She was going to have to fight. Luis was supposed to go with her, but Jake had volunteered.

_Why had Jake volunteered?_

Tears came into her eyes as she thought about the ordeal in front of her. 24 tributes were going into that arena, and only one could be crowned the victor. She knew it could be her, most of the tributes in the games were eliminated quickly, and the final few were almost always the Careers. The Careers were from the wealthiest Districts, and they trained until the day they could volunteer for the games. Most, while they had the strength and skills to win, lacked intelligence. Amy knew if she made it to the final few, she could outthink the Careers and be the last tribute standing.

_The last tribute standing._

The door to the room opened and Amy’s head snapped up to see her parents running into the room to hug her. She held her mom and dad close with her eyes scrunched shut, Camila whispering soothing words into her hair.

The room was thick with emotion, and promises that Amy would be home soon. Her parents gave tight hugs and tighter smiles, and after they had gone Amy spoke with each of her brothers. Tears even prickled in her eyes hugging David, for what she hoped wouldn’t have to be the last time.

After a while the goodbyes were over, and Amy was taken outside the Justice Building and put on a train, a train that would take her far away from her home, her family, and everything she had ever known.

_Almost everything._

It wouldn’t be taking her away from Jake, who was already seated on the train when Amy stepped on board. He was staring glumly out the window, his hands folded on his lap, and he barely registered her presence when she sat down across from him. Slowly, the train began to pull away from the station, leaving Jake and Amy to take one last look at District 9. Jake looked over at her, with the faintest of smiles on his face.

“Guess it’s good I saw Mom this morning.”

Before Amy could respond, one of the doors to the other cars opened and Gina walked out, followed closely by Holt. Gina sat down at the large table topped with food, and began to eat, while Holt approached the pair of tributes. Amy rose, attempting to stand at attention while Jake looked at her with a cocked eyebrow as Holt spoke.

“Hello. I am Raymond Holt. I will be your mentor as you train for the games. I wish I could say that it was good to meet you, but I wish more that we never had to.”

He shook both Amy and then Jake’s hand as Gina piped up from behind him.

“You know Ray, you could switch up the greeting every couple of years, it’s getting stale to those of us who have to hear it annually.”

“Would you prefer I speak with more....pizzazz?” Holt deadpanned back.

Jake chuckled and moved to plop himself down at the feast that was laid out, and Amy quickly moved to follow him. His eyes bugged and he let out a moan as he took a large bite out of a fresh strawberry, grabbing another three and offering one to Amy.

“Ames you gotta try this. Best I ever had.”

Amy took it from him and rolled her eyes as he held his two strawberries side by side and opened his mouth wide to take a chunk out of both simultaneously.

“Jake, slow down. Even your appetite can’t try everything here if you eat a million strawberries.”

He scoffed, “I’m not going to eat a million strawberries. I’m going to eat a _billion_ strawberries.”

Holt interrupted, having selected a slice of plain toast for his own meal. “I take it you two are already...acquainted.”

Jake looked at Amy and responded, mouth full of strawberries, “We’re friends.”

Holt nodded, and Gina asked, “And the first guy I called, that was…”

“My brother,” Amy finished. Gina gave a quick shake of the head.

“Damn, siblings would’ve been awful. I mean, not like it’s not already awful. But _more_ awful.”

Amy and Jake looked curiously at Gina, who shrugged.

“I know I’m supposed to be all rah rah for it, but I’m not some stone cold bitch, I am a natural beautiful presence.”

Holt looked at Jake, “And I am assuming your friendship for Ms. Santiago is the reason you opted to take her brother’s place?” Jake swallowed and nodded, his mood significantly more serious.

“Yeah. Amy’s going to win, but I didn’t want her to have to face Luis along the way.”

“I see.”

Amy had been picking at her own food but was now staring directly at Jake. She knew they needed to talk. _Really_ talk, but without Holt and Gina around. By the look he gave her when he caught her staring, she knew that he knew it too.

//

They didn’t get the chance for a little while longer, as Holt went over some basic facts about their upcoming schedule. Most of the activities they knew, having watched them on TV in the past, but Amy asked questions about some of the specifics that she thought Holt might have been impressed by. Jake asked whether he had to wear a tie for his interview with Terry Jeffords, the Hunger Games Announcer, to which Holt responded that it was up to Jake’s stylist but it was important to look professional. After not too long, Holt recognized the fatigue in their eyes and dismissed himself. Gina showed Jake and Amy to their rooms, and she hadn’t even been gone an entire minute before there was a knock at Amy’s door.

Amy opened it to reveal Jake, who she immediately grabbed into a firm hug.

“Why would you do that?” she whispered softly as he wrapped his arms around her. She breathed in his scent, and for the first time since she heard her name, the block of numbness that had found a home in her chest began to crack.

She broke away from Jake, and shut the door behind him as he flopped across her bed with his face pressed into the mattress. Amy sat down next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, prompting him to roll over.

“Why would you do that, Jake?”

He sighed, sitting up next to her so their legs were touching. “I don’t know. I knew when you got called that you could win, but then they called Luis and I knew. I knew you wouldn’t try your hardest if he was there with you. So I guess I volunteered so it could be...I don’t know....easier for you?”

He was scratching at the back of his neck, not meeting Amy’s eyes.

“How could this be easier for me? You’re my friend-”

“-But he’s your _brother,_ ” he interrupted. 

“So, what? You’re not even gonna _try_ to win?”

He chuckled, “I’ll try to win, but I’m not going to, you’d beat me in a fight every time. You’re way too smart for me. Plus all those Careers will easily overpower me. I don’t have the diet to bulk up.”

Amy was quiet, and Jake spoke again.

“Besides, your parents deserve at least a chance that all of you guys will be okay. Now they won’t have to miss anybody when you win.”

Amy looked at him with tears in her eyes as he almost whispered his next words.

“Nobody’s gonna miss me.”

“I would miss you.”

He looked at her now, and smiled, “Wow Santiago, didn’t know you cared.” The smile disappeared and he looked at the floor again.

“Yeah okay but my parents are both gone, so is my Nana. You have so many people to come back to. If I came back and you weren’t there, it would just be me.”

“Jake, there’s people who want you to come back,” she tried to choke out, but he was already shaking his head before Amy could finish.

“My only visitor was your dad. There was nobody else who felt they had anything to say to me. And your dad just came to thank me for what I did, and tell me he really wished he could root for me. If I had been just picked out of the bowl, there would’ve been nobody.”

Amy hugged him, hard. She heard the little “oof” that escaped his mouth as her body collided with his. His hands found their way to her back and she mumbled into his chest.

“I’m sorry you’re here.”

“I’m sorry you’re here too Ames.”

And with that Amy started to cry, just a few tears falling out of her eyes and wetting Jake’s shirt. She wasn’t the only one, and she noticed him sniffling as the spot where his face was buried in her hair became damp. She pulled back and looked at him.

“Will you stay with me tonight? I don’t want to be alone.”

The corner of his mouth moved up just a hair, and he spoke softly to her.

“You won’t be alone.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, my bad. I realized that I hated the ending I had planned out and got into a funk where I couldn't figure out how to proceed, then I ended up back on campus and got busy as hell. Thanks to those who commented that they wanted more while I was MIA, ended up pushing my ass into gear and I'm on this weird burst of writing energy now. Thanks for reading, lemme know what you think in the forms of Kudos or Comments, and if I disappear again you have full permission to give me compliments and scare me into not wanting to disappoint you lol.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed and I hope you come back as it's updated. Leave comments or kudos if you wish, adieu.


End file.
